Yuletide Often Proves to Be a Terrifying Experience for Those with Misophonia.
Lottie anticipates being with her relatives this Christmas, but says a primary method she'll endure is by wearing her hearing protection - notably for Christmas dinner.
In her case, this time of year often feels like a particularly difficult period as the noises of other people chewing, drinking noisily and breathing heavily trigger profound anxiety.
"I get this feeling of sudden panic, my whole body will just freeze and it as though I'm in peril, and I need to manage these noises."
The individual has suffered from sound sensitivity for several years and for her that causes the Christmas time "exceptionally stressful".
Misophonia is an intense sensitivity to specific noises, especially noises produced by other people.
The condition is widespread across the population. A study found a significant portion of people experience it.
Often it's noises connected to bodily functions that lead to discomfort, as well as things like crunching, heavy breathing, and foot tapping.
Triggering Stress
The sufferer notes: "I face so many various auditory triggers at the holidays and that can be stressful and make you want to avoid it.
"Those close to me are supportive, but I'm very aware that I don't want to make other people feel uncomfortable. It's like a really big battle of sacrificing my own sanity to ensure the event goes smoothly."
So it's obvious why the traditionally happy period can quickly turn into a living nightmare for affected individuals.
Sounds that may appear innocuous, like someone drinking champagne, opening presents, or enjoying festive food can provoke a visceral feeling that can even lead to them skipping events entirely.
The student, a 21-year-old student, who has dealt with misophonia from childhood, says her strategy is to put her earphones in to cope. On any other day, she would usually isolate herself in a separate space to minimize problematic noises.
She explains her condition is more intense around people she's most familiar with, so the holidays is always "hard".
"People assume you to socialize with loved ones, and I wish to, but it's draining.
"The sensation is this sudden rage comes over me, which can feel embarrassing, or I'll feel panicked and burst into tears and then fight-or-flight will activate.
"It can come across as if I'm being unreasonable and melodramatic, but it's tough to describe without firsthand experience."
Three Ways to Cope
If it's an issue then there are some different techniques you can use to handle the situation, according to clinical psychologists.
- Picture a Different Scenario: Mental imagery is key. Attempt to link the triggering sound bothering you with something completely different. As an illustration, try to envision someone's noisy drinking is just a sink draining water. This technique is to retrain your mind that the sound affecting you isn't harmful.
- Try a Competition: Use lightheartedness and turn the annoying sound into a game with the person. For instance, if someone is eating noisily attempt copying the noise. By joining in, instead of feeling like the sound is an attack, you become an engaged person. And the game aspect should help redirect your focus and make you somewhat less sensitive.
- Create a Scenario: A further strategy is to try to fabricate an explanation about why the person creating the sound is behaving that way. For example if someone was making a nasal sound, it could be that they're not feeling well or maybe they're upset. By doing this is altering the perception of the sound. While the noise stays the same, your interpretation of it changes from being irritating, to feeling a bit more accepting about it.
